Paris is the city of lights, and it’s a great place to explore and have fun! We’ve put together our top picks for the best activities in Paris this month, so if you’re looking for something to do, we’ve got you covered. From sightseeing tours and romantic cruises to cozy cafés and unique shopping experiences, there’s something for everyone here. So come join us and make this month in Paris an unforgettable one!
Christmas concerts take center stage in Paris during December 2023, although you’ll also find plenty of classical concerts in the city’s most beautiful old churches as well as opera and ballet at Palais Garnier and rock, indie, jazz, pop, and “spectacles” at AccorHotels Arena, the Olympia, Palais des Congres, and other concert venues.
Don’t miss candlelight concerts, New Year’s Eve concerts, and the special Eiffel Tower concert on Christmas Day! Tickets for all of these concerts start to sell fast and even sell out in November – so don’t wait to get yours.
Check the lineup to find classical, rock, and Christmas concerts, opera, ballet, and other music shows happening throughout December, and get your tickets now:
Paris concerts, opera, and ballet during December offer a sensational seasonal mix of Christmas concerts, opera, ballet, and contemporary rock, pop, rap, R&B, and more.
Tickets to the holiday concerts at Sainte-Chapelle and the Eiffel Tower always sell out in advance – so if you want to attend one of these special events, don’t wait to book!
Christmas & Christmas Eve Concerts in Paris – 2023
- Christmas Oratorio & Masaaki Suzuki – Champs Elysees Theatre – Dec 8 (about to sell out)
- Babar et le Pere Noel – Champs Elysees Theatre – Dec 10, 11
- Radio Classique Christmas Concert – Champs Elysees Theatre – Dec 16 (about to sell out)
- Christmas Concert & Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Madeleine Church – Dec 21, 24, 25, 27, 31
- Christmas Concert – Saint-Eustache Church – Dec 21
- Christmas Concert – Saint-Sulpice Church – Dec 22
- Christmas Concert – Madeleine Church – Dec 23
- Christmas Concert – Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile Church – Dec 23
- Christmas Eve & Christmas Day concerts in the Eiffel Tower – Dec 24, 25
- Christmas Eve Concert – Saint Julien le Pauvre Church – Dec 24
- Christmas Concert: Piano Jazz – Saint Julien le Pauvre Church – Dec 25
- Christmas Concert – Saint Severin Church – Dec 25
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & Corelli’s Christmas Concert – Saint-Germain-des-Pres Church – Dec 27
Looking for non-holiday music? Skip down to the regular December Concerts section
More Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Performances
- Jiri Kylian: Paris Opera Ballet – Palais Garnier (Paris Opera House) – Dec 25
New Year’s Eve Concerts in Paris – 2023
- New Year’s Concert (with optional Champagne or wine & tapas) – Sainte-Chapelle – Dec 30, 31
- New Year’s Eve concert in the Eiffel Tower – Dec 31
- New Year’s Concert: Mozart’s Requiem – Saint Sulpice Church – Dec 31
- Concert with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Madeleine Church – Dec 31
- New Year’s Eve Concert – Saint-Sulpice Church – Dec 31
- New Year’s Eve Concert – Saint Severin Church – Dec 31
More December Concerts, Operas, & Ballets
- Candlelight Concert: Chopin, Schubert, Satie, Beethoven – Saint Ephrem Church – Dec 1, 7, 13, 19, 22, 26, 28, 30
- Piano Stars Play Chopin – Saint Julien le Pauvre Church – Dec 1, 10, 17, 21, 22, 30
- Ensemble Royal de Paris: Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart – Saint Julien le Pauvre Church – Dec 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31
- Chopin by Candlelight – Saint Ephrem Church – Dec 2, 6, 12, 15, 23, 25, 29, 31
- Les Violons de France: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Madeleine Church – Dec 2, 9
- Sting – Accor Arena – Dec 3
- Les Contes d’Hoffmann: Paris National Opera – Opera Bastille – Dec 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27
- Piano Stars Play Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninoff – Saint Julien le Pauvre Church – Dec 3, 7, 8, 14, 28
- Candlelight Concert: Bach, Debussy, Schubert, Liszt – Saint Ephrem Church – Dec 3, 16, 31
- Lomepal – Accor Arena – Dec 4, 5, 6
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & Famous Adagios – Saint Germain des Pres Church – Dec 9
- Franco Fagioli – Champs Elysees Theatre – Dec 9
- Bach by Candlelight – Saint Ephrem Church – Dec 9, 24, 26
- Jiri Kylian: Paris Opera Ballet – Palais Garnier (Paris Opera House) – Dec 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 20. 21. 22. 23. 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31
- Ma Mere L’Oye, & L’Enfant et les Sortileges: Paris National Opera – Palais Garnier (Paris Opera House) – Dec 13, 14
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons & Mozart’s A Little Night Music – Saint Germain des Pres Church – Dec 15, 22
- Les Violons de France: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Caccini, & Schubert – Saint-Germain-des-Pres Church – Dec 16, 23, 26, 30, 31
- Linda Lemay – L’Olympia – Dec 18
- M Pokora – Accor Arena – Dec 19
- Le Malade Imaginaire – Champs Elysees Theatre – Dec 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
- Mozart’s Requiem & Ravel’s Bolero – Madeleine Church – Dec 26
- Beethoven’s 9th Symphony – Saint-Sulpice Church – Dec 28
- The Nutcracker: Paris National Opera – Opera Bastille – Dec 26, 31 (about to sell out)
More Paris classical concerts, opera, & dance performances during December
More Paris rock, pop, jazz, rap, & other performances during December
Find Paris concerts for other months
Enjoy the Best Christmas Markets in Paris – Opening Dates
Sparkling lights and decorations, the smell of roasting chestnuts, cups of hot wine infused with cinnamon, and Swiss-style chalets overflowing with special holiday foods, hand-crafted gifts, and decorations…. Christmas Markets, a tradition since Medieval times, pop up all over Paris starting in late November.
Paris Christmas Market Schedule – 2023 Opening Dates
Most dates are still to be announced (TBA), although some 2023 dates have now been comfirmed.
Even after opening dates are confirmed, please keep in mind that they are dependent on all the right permits being in place, so delays are always possible (and in fact happened two years ago at one of the biggest markets):
- Tuileries Christmas Market: La Magie de Noël (The Magic of Christmas) – (formerly Champs-Élysées Christmas Market) – November 18, 2023 – January 7, 2024; 1st arr
- St Germain des Prés Christmas Market – November 25 – January 1; 6th arr
- La Défense Christmas Village (along the Esplanade at the Arche de La Défense – November 16 – December 27, 2023; take the Metro Line 1 to La Defense station – about 10 minutes from Etoile/CDG)
- Eiffel Tower Christmas Village on Quai Branly – November 29 – January 1; 7th arr – TBA
- Alsatian Christmas Market at Gare de l’Est – December 1 – 17, 2023, 10th arr
- Christmas Market at Hôtel de Ville (Paris City Hall, Rue de Rivoli, next to Hotel de Ville metro station, 4th arr) – November 30 – January 1; 4th arr – TBA
- Bastille Christmas Market at Place de las Bastille – December 2 – 26, 11th arr – TBA
- Christmas Market at the Feeries d’Anteuil (Rue Jean de la Fontaine, Paris 16) – December 2 – 10 – TBA
- Notre Dame Christmas Market at Square Viviani – December 8 – 25, 2023; 10am-8pm (9pm on Friday, Saturday, Sunday); 5th arr
- Abbesses Christmas Market in Montmartre near Sacre Coeur – December 9 – 31, 18th arr – TBA
- 15th Arrondissement Christmas Market – In front of the 15th’s Town Hall – December 14-31 – TBA
Find details about what each market offers, which ones are best, lots of photos, and addresses
Selected Pop-Up & Short-Term Christmas Markets
Most dates are still to be confirmed, although some 2023 dates have now been announced.
- Japanese Christmas Market – Espace Cinko, 12-18 Passage Choiseul, Paris 2 – 11am-7pm, November 16-18
- English Christmas – St George’s Anglican Church (7 Rue Auguste Vacquerie, 16th arr) – November 25
- Christmas Markets at the Pavillon des Canaux (“Les Canaux”) (39 Quai de la Loire, on Canal d’Ourcq (close to Parc de la Villette), Paris 19) – Look for themed markets on these weekends: Nov 25- 26; Dec 4-5; Dec 10-11; and Dec 16-17
- Christmas Eco-Villages on three weekends at La REcyclerie (83 Blvd Ornano, Paris 18): Nov 25-26, Dec 2-3, and Dec 9-10
- Specialty Christmas Markets on 3 Sundays with 3 themes and numerous creators in front of Le Hasard Ludique (“Playful Hazard”), the former Saint-Ouen rail station on the Petit Cienture and now a cultural venue (128 Avenue de Saint-Ouen, 18th arr; nearest Metro: Porte de St Ouen / Guy Moquet) – Ubuntu Christmas Market on Dec 2, 3; Made in the 18th Arrondisement Market on Dec 10; Big Christmas Market Market on Dec 16 – plus Christmas treats, mulled wine, specialty beers, and hot drinks all day. Free admission. More about Le Hasard Ludique: https://www.lehasardludique.
- Marché de Noel at Hotel Maison Mère (7 Rue Mayran, near Rue des Martyrs , 9th arr) – Small Christmas market featuring jewelry, decorative objects, and art by local artisans – Nov 26, starts at 11:30am – more information
- Swedish Christmas Market – The Swedish Church (9 Rue Médéric, 17th arr, Metro: Courcelles) – Swedish specialites such as glasswear, candles, cakes, lingonberry jam, chocolates, and Swedish herring and salmon – Dec 1-3
- Féeries d’Auteuil Christmas Market –
- Klin d’Oeil d’Hiver Christmas Market featuring 70 designers of fashion and home decor; also look for DIY workshops and a coffee shop serving hot chocolate, chai lattes, mulled wine, and winter soups – Carreau du Temple (4 Eugene Spuller – 3rd arr) – December 16-17, 2023; free admission
If we find these markets this year, we’ll update the following information:
- Les Apprentis d’Auteuil (40 Rue Jean de la Fontaine, Paris 16) – Dec 2-10
- Marché de Noël de Rock My Bergamote – Young French Designers at Le Pavillion des Canaux coffeeshop/restaurant (39 Quai de la Loire), Bassin de la Villette, 19th arr – 11am-8pm, early December
- Saint Laz’ Christmas Market in front of the Saint-Lazare train station, 9th arr – TBD
- Marché de Noël Paris Beaubourg – Christmas Market at Pompidou Center, 4th arr – November – January – TBD
- Bir Hakeim Christmas Market (not far from the Eiffel Tower) – December 8 -January 1 – TBD
- Christmas Market at Invalides – December 10-26 – TBD
- Sacre Coeur Christmas Market in front of Sacre Coeur – Mid-Dec – TBD
More about Paris Christmas Markets: Details, locations, and directions
Christmas Lights & Holiday Decorations
Christmas lights (“Illuminations”) and decorations start to appear in Paris starting in early November and continue through early January (until just before the January sales begin).
This year, Bon Marché will again be the first to reveal their window at 5pm on Friday, October 27. (to be confirmed) The theme this year is a giant Santa’s workshop with cute elves working to make enough colorful Christmas tree bulbs fo light up all the trees on Christmas Day.
Printemps Haussmann unveils their fabulous Christmas windows on November 8 at 5:30pm. American super-model Cindy Crawford and her daughter Kaia Gerber will cut the ribbons to the reveal the windows and launch the seasonal festivities. This year’s theme is the circus, with trapeze artists, clowns, magicians, Christmas circus balloons, and Santa as ringmaster.
By December, you can see festive lights, decorations, and Christmas trees in all the city’s key shopping districts. But don’t miss the spectacular store window displays at Paris’s five grand department stores!
Find the best places to see Christmas lights in Paris
Go on a Paris Christmas Lights Tour
Find out more about holiday window displays in Paris department stores
Christmas at Disneyland Paris in December
Enchanted Christmas celebrations start at Disneyland Paris in early November and continue into January with plenty of entertainment and holiday spirit for everyone.
You’ll find a spectacular giant tree, entertaining shows, festive Christmas parades, and sparkling holiday decorations everywhere, plus special events such as the nightly “magical” Christmas tree lighting. Each year brings new holiday features, lights, and shows at both Disney Parks, an immersive nighttime extravaganza, and singing carols with Santa, Mickey, and Minnie for a magical experience you won’t forget. You can even expect snowflakes to fall a few times each day!
When: November 11 – January 7
Thanks to https://www.parisdiscoveryguide.com/ for this great write up!
